I happen to eat meat and consume animal products. Been thinking about it a lot.

The Matrix
This is not an original thought, I heard it from a person that heard it from a person. Basically, it goes as thus:

You are actually an animal being raised by another animal on a higher trophic level for meat – you don’t know this. Your death is painless. Are you okay with being eaten? Would you be okay eating an animal raised as such?

I am comfortable with this. Some people are not. Preferably, and very deeply, I want these animals to lead good (think five freedoms) and happy animal lives. It’s kind of strange that this ideal is now a luxury – and a big of indication that things have gone too far.

In-Vitro Meat
Worth investigating. The efficiency with which ruminants convert grass to protein is unlikely to be replaced any time soon, not to mention the cultural ties and emotional connection to raising animals for food. There is a demand though, and even I’m curious. Given the way a lot of meat is prepared today (You know the stuff I am talking about), I’m pretty sure would not differ using an imperfect in-vitro substitute.

Mechanically Separated Meat
I only found out about this today. My initial impression – repulsion at the “And then we mixed the bits of 1000 different animals together” thing, because we know that stuff leads to food-safety problems. But also admiration for aspiration to use absolutely everything, the same feeling I get from baby carrots. Repulsion and admiration.

Bumped into this video. Had a laugh. I’m not sure what I should take away from those kids’ enthusiasm for chicken nuggets. Jamie Oliver takes it as a cautionary tale of brainwashing. I’m sure familiarity had a lot to do with it, but also the unavailability of other food in that particular situation. I’d be curious to see more of the series.

2 Responses to Some Thoughts on Meat

mmm… tasty chicken nuggets, wish I had some t_t. But really what I started thinking was, isn’t it strange how even though people will be repulsed or disgusted by that video, 90% of them will do nothing about it. Isn’t that really something that has also been brainwashed into us? The lack of will to change or really rally against certain practices.

I actually went and watched the whole series – besides the editing to make it palatable (haha) for TV, the whole show is about people knowing things are bad for them but continuing to do them. This chicken nugget video just seemed to be the icing on the cake (I’d laugh, but the amount of sugar those kids were eating was terrible).